match is to bring it at the word, "Point your guns ;" and, kneeling upon one knee oppofite the train truck of the carriage, and at fuch a distance as to be able to touch the priming, is to turn his head from the gun, and keep blowing gently upon the lighted match to keep it clear from afhes. And as the mifling of an enemy in action, by neglect or want of coolness, is moft inexcufable, it is particularly recommended to have the people thoroughly inftructed in pointing well, and taught to know the inconveniences of not taking proper means to hit their mark; therefore they should be made to elevate their guns to the utmoft nicety, and then to point with the fame exactness, having caught the object through the upper fight. At the word,

8. Fire,

The match is inftantly to be put to the bruifed part of the priming; and when the gun is difcharged, the touch-hole is to be ftopped, in order to fmother any fpark of fire that may remain in the chamber of the gun; and the man who fpunges is immediately to place himself by the muzzle of the gun in readiness, when at the next word,

9. Spunge your Guns,

The fpunge is to be rammed down to the bottom of the chamber, and then twisted round, to extinguish effectually any remains of fire; and when drawn out to be ftruck against the outfide of the muzzle, to hake off any sparks or fcraps of the cartridge that may have come out with it, and next its end is to be shifted ready for loading; and while this is doing the man appointed to provide a cartridge is to go to the box, and by the time the fpunge is out of the gun, he is to have it ready; and at the word,

10. Load with Cartridge,

The cartridge (with the bottom end firft, feam downwards, and a wad after it) is to be put into the gun, and thruft a little way within the mouth, when the rammer is to be entered; the cartridge is then to be forcibly rammed down, and the captain at the fame time is to unftop the touch-hole, and keep his priming-wire in the touch-hole, and, feeling the cartridge, is to give the word home, when the rammer is to be drawn, and not before. While this is doing, the man appointed to put in a fhot is to provide one, or two, according to the order at that time, ready at the muzzle, with a wad likewife, and when the rammer is drawn, at the word,

11. Shot your Guns,

The fhot and the wad upon it are to be put into the gun, and thrust a little way down, when the rammer is to be entered as before. The fhot and wad are to be rammed down to the cartridge, and there have a couple of forcible strokes, when the rammer is to be drawn, and laid out of the way of the guns and tackles, if the exercise or action is continuing, but, if it is over, the fpunge is to be fecured in the place it is at all times kept in, the ftopper put in the touch-hole, and the apron put on.

12. Put

12. Put in your Tompions.

The tompions to be put into the muzzle of the cannon.

13. Houfe your Guns.

The feizing is to be put on again upon the clinched end of the breeching, leaving it no flacker than to admit of the guns being houfed with eafe. The quoin is to be taken from under the breech of the gun, and the bed, ftill refting upon the bolt, within the carriage, thruft under, till the foot of it falls off the axletree, leaving it to rest upon the end which projects out from the foot. The metal is to be let down upon this. The gun is to be placed exactly square, and the muzzle is to be close to the wood, in its proper place for paffing the muzzle-lashings.

14. Secure your Guns.

The muzzle-lafhings must be first made fecure, and then with one tackle (having all its parts equally taut with the breeching) the gun is to be lafhed. The other tackle is to be bowfed taut, and by itself made faft, that it may be ready to caft off for lashing a fecond breeching.

N. B. Care must be taken to hook the firit tackle to the upper bolt of the carriage, that it may not other wife obftruct the reeving of the fecond breeching, and to give the greater length to the end part of the fall. No pains must be fpared in bowting the lathing very taut, that the guns may have the leaft play that is poffible, as their being loofe may be productive of very dangerous confequences. The quoin, crow, and hand pike, are to be put under the gun, the powder horn hung up. in its place, &c.

Being engaged at any time when there is a large fwell, a rough sea, in fqually weather, &c. as the thip may be liable to be fuddenly much heeled, the port tackle-fall is to be kept clear, and (whenever the working of the gun will admit of it) the man charged with that office is to keep it in his hand; at the fame time the muzzle lashing is to be kept faft to the ring of the port, and being hauled taut, is to be faftened to the eye-bolt, over the port-hole, fo as to be out of the guns way in firing, in order to haul it in any time of danger.

This precaution is not to be omitted, when engaging to windward, any more than when to leeward, thofe fituations being very fubje& to alter at too fhort a warning.

A train-tackle is always to be made use of with the lee-guns, and the men ftationed to attend it are to be very careful in preventing the guns running out at an improper time.

THE METHOD OF ATTACKING OR DEFEND.. ING A SHIP.

A

S foon as the fhip has got to fea, I would recommend to take the first favourable opportunity to have all hands called to quarters, the officers in their ftations to have every thing made properly ready

and fit for action; to have a general exercise not only of the great guns and fmall arms, but the method of working and managing the fhip, to take advantage of the openings which often occur in attacking or being attacked by another fingle fhip, which should be ftudied by every commander, and the defigned manoeuvres fhould be taught the people in their general exercise, that they may know how to act and move regularly from one place and fide to the other as occafion may require, without confufion, which is always the case, when the intended manœuvres are not made known to the people.

For these reasons, as foon as poffible, it should be made known to them, that if a fhip of nearly equal force should bring too with a defign to fight, it was intended not to run directly along fide, and lie too like a log and depend upon mere battering with one fide only, or upon the ftern chafe guns. Begin the attack upon the weather quarter, fhooting the fhip up in the wind, with the helm a-lee, till the after lee gun, with which you should begin, can be brought to bear upon the enemy's ftern, then fire the lee broadfide. Immediately boxhaul the fhip round on her heel, fo as to bring the wind fo far aft, that the hip may be fteered clofe under the enemy's ftern, giving particular orders to begin with the foremoft gun to rake them right fore and aft, as they pafs in that line of direction, all aiming and firing to break the neck and cheeks of the rudder's head, the tiller ropes, blocks, &c. fo as if poffible to deftroy the fteering tackle, which defign, if it proves fuccessful, takes the management of their fhip from them, fo that the must lie helpless for a time in spite of their endea

vours.

When the aftermoft gun is fired, put the helm hard a weather to bring the fhip to the wind on the other tack, to keep clear of their lee broadfide, and act according to their motions, and the experience of the effect your attack has had upon them. If they continue to lie too, either renew the attack again in the fame manner as foon as the ship will fetch the weather quarter again, or make fail off to escape, if it is found that the great inequality of their fuperior force admits of no polfible chance of conquering them. And although this manœuvre may not have given this advantage (which in my opinion ought always to be attempted, and not to fubmit tamely although a thip is. doubly the force) yet the power of their broadfides may be chiefly avoided by it.

But when the inequality of force is not fo great but there is a poffibility of conquering, and if the fuccefs of the first attack is perceived to oblige the enemy to continue lying too in order to repair the damage done their rudder or tiller, &c. then the blow fhould be followed, by renewing the attack again with all poflible expedition, in the fame manner, which gives the opening not only to fire the whole round of great guns to advantage, but alfo to the marines and topmen to fire their fmall arms at the fame time to great advantage, fo as to do the moft execution poffible, by firing and raking them fore and aft through their moft open and tender part, the ftern, with the least rifk poffible from the enemy's guns, and therefore gives the greateft poffible chance to make an easy conqueft, especially if fo lucky as to deftroy and prevent the recovery of their fteering. A thip of much fuperior force may be brought to fuch a diftreffed condition, as to be obliged to make a fubmiflion for want of the helm to command her, therefore when an opport offers in fighting this fhould be always aimed at.

But fuppofe the enemy laid too as above mentioned, find themselves not much hurt by this manœuvre, and that you have not fucceeded in deftroying their fteering, and therefore you may expect that they will immediately tack or wear fhip, and ftand after you, depending upon their fuperior failing and force, fhall run up along your lee fide, expecting, by making a general discharge of their small arms and great guns on your deck, which lies open to them by the fhip's heeling to deftroy your people, and to make you fubmit: when this is likely to be their defign, orders fhould be given to your people, to keep themfelves as clofe under fhelter as poffible from their fmall fhot until their general difcharge is over; then if the fhip is found not fo disabled, but that the topfails can be thrown aback, make a general discharge from the lee fid of the great guns, loaded with round thot only, pointed to the weather fide of the enemy's bottom amidships, to one point at the water edge, and boxhaul the hip to run clofe under their ftern, aiming at raking and deftroying their fteering with the other broadfide; then ftand off on the other tack, and act according to circumftances and the condition you find yourself in compared with the appearance of the enemy and their motions, who may be obliged to continue on the other tack to repair damages.

But when the enemy's fhip of force makes only a running fight, and you have the advantage of failing fafter, the most fure and likely method to make an eafy conqueft, is to run close up, and fhoot or theer your fhip across their stern each way, making a general difcharge of all your force, aiming with the great guns at the rudder head and teering tackling; and you will have this advantage, that if the thot mifs the rudder head by raking the thip fore and aft through the florn, they may do the greateft execution poffible to diftrefs the enemy, fo as to make a fubmiffion. On this occafion, when it blows frefh, and you are obliged to carry a preffing fail large or before the wind, to make the great guns as ready as poffible, and prevent their being fired too low, all their breeches thould be laid quite down in the carriage, and if your fhip is crank the yards fhould be braced fo as to thiver the fails at the time each broadfide is fired. In all thefe manoeuvres, where the whole round of great guns are defigned to be fired, two or more men ought always to be left to load each gun again when fired on one fide, whilft the others move over again to fire the oppofite, that neither fide may be left unguarded.

Thefe or any other manœuvres may be taught the people, by heaving a tight empty beef cafk over-board, and making it the object of attack. Nor would I advife to fpare a little powder on thefe occations, as a little expended in exercife may fave a great deal fired to no purpofe in action. Two fhips failing in company afford an excellent op. portunity of exercising manoeuvres.

Note. At the end of this work are given two Tables; one fhewing the proportion of powder for fea guns, the other the number of thot contained in different fized grapes.

ON SHIPS IN DISTRESS.

SUDDEN diftrefs of fhips has often ftruck their crews with fuch

panics, as to occafion them, in many inftances, to take the worft instead of the best means or methods for their fatety or relief. It will

not, therefore, I truft, be unacceptable to endeavour to point out every thing that may be of fervice on these melancholy occafions, as far as circumstances and fituations can be conceived to happen.

When a fhip proves weak and works the oakum out, fo as to make dangerous leaks between wind and water, it has been frequently prac tifed to nail fheet lead upon the feams, which is fubject to break by the fhip's working. Leather or canvafs nailed on flack, with oakum under, will answer the purpose much better. In cafes where thips have worked their frames loofe, it has been frequently practifed with fuccefs, to take several turns of a hawfer or cable round them, and to heave thefe turns well taut, to prevent foundering.

Should a dangerous leak fuddenly break out, as foon as the pumps are manned and fet to work, the utmoft endeavours fhould be immediately ufed, and all poffible means tried, to find out and flop the leak, before the people become exhaufted by continual pumping; when discovered, I would recommend fothering; for a defcription of which fee page 305 of this work.

To recover and get a Ship upright from being overfet or laid on ker Side at

Sea.

This is certainly a task that deferves the utmost attention. If ground is to be reached by any means, the lee anchor or anchors hould be immediately let go, in order to bring the wind upon that bow that is laid down; that the wind may act upon the mafts and fails, which may be fet fo as to bring the fhip upright again. But in deep water, where anchors can be of no fervice, it is recommended, if a towline, hawfer, or cable end can be readily come at, and if the driver boom, hencoops, or any other bulky things can be flung by the middle with ropes, and made faft to it, that they be veered away with a long scope over the lee-quarter, to make fuch great ftop-waters as to make the fhip wear, and bring the wind on the quarter that is down, that the fhip may be brought to, on the other tack, and the fails trimmed, fo as to get her upright again without cutting away the matts, which nothing can justify but the utmost neceffity, to fave a ship from foundering, because of the great diftrefs it brings her under for want of her mafts, especially her lower mafts, when he has a long run to her defigned po:t, or to a place where the can get this g cat damage repaired.

To make a Ship wear and fleer that has loft her Foremaft.

THIS may be done by veering a hawfer or cable end over the lee quarter, but without any ftop waters, only the nun buoy or any spare fpars lafhed along it to buoy it from taking the ground, in cafe of coming into hoal water with little wind. This will act with great power with the helm, to make the fhip wear and fleer at pleasure. And a fpare yard or boom may be rigged out abaft the mizen shrouds to guy the cable to leeward in proportion to the thip's griping; and when failing before the wind to fecure it over the middle of the ftern, will prevent the fhip broaching too against the helm both ways.

On Steering a Ship that has left her Rudder.

I would propofe on this occafion a hawfer or cable end with the nun buoys, ipare fpars, &c. lafhed along it, to buoy it up, in cafe of coming